Police and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) will from today be conducting follow up safety checks on Wellington region buses to ensure that a range of serious faults discovered during previous inspections have been addressed.
Today’s joint operation follows inspections carried out in May, which resulted in 11 buses being removed from service due to a number of significant safety faults. These included oil leaks in the engine area – a potential fire risk – as well as carbon monoxide fumes entering buses and faults with emergency exits.
The operation will be conducted outside peak times and on vehicles not carrying passengers, so as to minimise any possible disruption to commuters.
"The purpose of these checks is to ensure the safety of the travelling public," said Kate Styles, NZTA Regional Manager, Access and Use. "Bus companies have the ultimate responsibility to ensure their vehicles remain in a roadworthy and safe condition at all times, and Police and the Transport Agency will be following up over the next 48 hours to ensure this is the case."
The Transport Agency and Police have been working extensively with bus companies, including those in Wellington, to improve their compliance.
"Police and its road safety partner agencies have been working closely with bus operators, including New Zealand Bus which runs most of the services in the Wellington region, to ensure they understand what is required of them if they want to continue to operate," she said.
"They in turn have given assurances that the serious problems identified earlier in year have been rectified and Police Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit (CVIU) and Transport Agency inspectors will be checking to make sure this has happened."
Senior Sergeant Willie Roy of the CVIU, said it was hoped there would be as little disruption as possible to normal bus services – but that this would ultimately depend on the action taken by the operators to fix the problems previously identified.
"To ensure as little disruption to the public as possible, the operation is being run outside of peak hours, targeting buses not carrying passengers. However, bus operators should be on notice that if serious safety faults are detected, then action will be taken, as ensuring public safety is our top priority."
Mr Roy said inspectors would be carrying out the spot checks of buses throughout the region today and tomorrow to ensure compliance – with a particular focus on fumes, fire hazards and emergency exits.
ENDS
NZTA media contact: Andy Knackstedt, Ph 021 276 3222
Police media contact: Ross Henderson, Ph 027 703 7329